Ludwig van Beethoven  Why did he have a hard life?  What was the hardest thing for him to overcome?  Why is his music still so important and loved today, so many years after his death?

Birth and childhood zBorn in Bonn, Germany in zHis father was Ludwig’s first music teacher. zLudwig had to practice many nights when his father came home drunk. zLudwig showed an interest in composing when he was a child.

Young adulthood Vienna zBeethoven went to Vienna, Austria to learn more about composing when he was 17. zHe had to return home when his mother died, and help raise his brothers.

Return to Vienna zWhen Beethoven was 22, he moved to Austria and never returned to Germany. zHe learned from Haydn, another great composer,...and played for Mozart before he died.

Losing his hearing zBeethoven began hearing buzzing in his ears. zAt first he tried to hide his loss of hearing from his friends. zHe continued to write music when he was deaf. z Beethoven tried many hearing devices, but none of them worked. z He could watch people’s lips to understand what they were saying, or have them write in a notebook.

Medical methods back then... zDoctors poured warm milk and crushed nuts in Beethoven’s ears, telling him that this would help restore his hearing! zDoctors rubbed Beethoven’s arms with an ointment until they blistered, then punctured and drained the blisters…telling him that this would help restore his hearing!

His Later Years He still composed when he was deaf….. how could he do this?

He could hear the music inside his head….and he wasn’t bothered with other noises around him. He wrote some of his best music during this time.

His temperament zBeethoven was not easy to be around. He had a temper, and he was very demanding. zHe would get lost in his own thoughts and would get impatient with others when they didn’t do what he thought they should do. z He criticized other musicians when they didn’t perform his pieces the way he wanted them to sound. z His whole life was very ‘stormy’ …there were many sad and discouraging times.

Some of his Works z32 Piano Sonatas yMoonlight Sonata ySonata Pathetique zFur Elise zFidelio (his only opera) z9 Symphonies yChoral Symphony …#9 (Ode to Joy) yBeethoven’s Fifth …#5 ySymphony …#7 (the one we’ll hear at the concert) yPastorale …..#6

Beethoven’s death zBeethoven died in Vienna, Austria in zIt was storming when he died. (There was thundering during a snow storm!) zBeethoven raised his fist toward the storm and fell back on his bed, dying. z50,000 lined the streets at his funeral to pay tribute to this great man.

Ludwig van Beethoven z Because his music was so fiery, powerful, and different from the music that came before him, his music marks the beginning of a new era of music in history, the ROMANTIC ERA.

Ludwig van Beethoven  Why did he have a hard life?  What was the hardest thing for him to overcome?  Why is his music still so important and loved today, 181 years after his death?